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Children of St. Mary's of Assumption know there is important business underway at the Vatican (Published Friday, Jan. 17, 2014)

(NECN: Greg Wayland) - People in the Boston area have been especially interested in the conclave. Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley's name has been floated by some as a serious contender.

And in Brookline Tuesday, school children prayed for the election of a new pope.

That’s what Catholics do at a time like this, whether they’re cardinals or kids taking a break from catechism class: they pray.

It was early evening in Rome and just after noon in Brookline, Mass. at St. Mary’s of the Assumption. St. Mary’s students knew there was important business underway across the ocean.

This was the regular noontime mass at St. Mary’s, which children from the school attend once a month.They delivered, as they do every month, the mass readings and prayers of petition. But they also prayed for the kind of man they hope will become the successor of St. Peter.

Even among the very young, there are hometown aspirations, wanting Cardinal Sean to be the next pope.

Then, they all know there is a world of holy possibilities.

All the kids received, as everybody did at the mass, a nice prayer card for the election of the new pope.